“I Want to Make a Gift While I’m Still Alive”: 60-Year-Old Construction Worker Defrauded by Five Hostesses, Including Cabaret Hostesses—”Putting on a Show” Testimony in Court

“To put it in Kansai dialect, I just wanted to look cool.”

The first hearing for defendant Masahiro Nakatani (60 at the time of arrest), who is charged with fraud for swindling cash from a woman in her 20s working at a cabaret club in Kabukicho, Tokyo, by proposing that she “let him make a lifetime gift,” was held on September 4 at the Tokyo District Court.

During the defendant’s questioning that day, his crude motive for the crime and his overly optimistic repayment plan were revealed.

“Last July, defendant Nakatani approached a hostess at a cabaret club, saying, ‘I want to make a lifetime gift of 5 million yen to you. I need to pay 1 million yen in advance as gift tax,’ and swindled her out of cash. As soon as the hostess paid the cash, she lost contact with him and reported the matter to the police, which led to the discovery of the crime.“Defendant Nakatani had defrauded a total of 6.5 million yen from five women using the same scheme,” said a judicial reporter for a national newspaper.

Defendant Nakatani appeared in court with a shaved head of white hair and deep wrinkles etched into his face, giving the impression that he looked much older than his actual age. However, he was dressed in a black T-shirt from a high-end streetwear brand popular among young people and tight white jeans, revealing a keen sense of fashion.

Witness examination began first, with his common-law wife—with whom he had been in a relationship for over 20 years—taking the stand. When asked about Defendant Nakatani’s occupation, she explained , “He works in civil engineering as a subcontractor for a construction company.” Regarding his arrest, she said , “I was shocked. To be honest, he was working so hard,” appearing visibly shaken.

The couple has a daughter in her 20s with a disability, and the common-law wife expressed her disappointment and anger toward the defendant Nakatani, saying, “The victim is the same age as my daughter, and I find that very infuriating.” Regarding the future, she stated she would supervise him to ensure his rehabilitation, but added rapidly , “If he does the same thing again, I’ll cut all ties with him and won’t let him see our daughter.”

Next, the defendant was questioned. When his defense attorney asked him again why he had committed the crime, after a long silence of about 30 seconds, Defendant Nakatani said,

“One major factor was that I was trying to keep up appearances,”

he replied.

“The event is huge.”

When asked to explain his current job in detail,

“I used to work in the event industry. In between those jobs, I worked part-time at a construction company,”

he said, emphasizing that his main job is in the event industry. He was arrested on charges of defrauding five women out of cash, but when his defense attorney asked, “Did you intend to pay them back?”

“I fully intended to. I had an event lined up for the end of the year, and I was planning to repay them when I was arrested,”

he explained. Regarding the specific method for repayment,

“I want to borrow money from an acquaintance to compensate the victims. If the event is successful, I believe I can repay them with the profits. Once the contract is signed, I’ll receive an upfront fee,”

presenting a speculative plan. In response, the prosecution pointed out the contradiction in his claim that he intended to repay while simultaneously cutting off contact with the women. When asked to explain,

“I’m not very familiar with cell phones, so I didn’t realize she had blocked me,”

—a response that cast doubt on the credibility of his testimony.

Regarding the money he defrauded,

“I had living expenses, and I spent it on food and drinks. I also bought clothes for other girls,”

. Behind him, his common-law wife was staring at him sharply, accompanied by a heavy sigh. Finally, when the judge asked, “What do you mean by ‘keeping up appearances’? Please be specific,”

“In Kansai dialect, I wanted to look cool. I wanted to get her attention by supporting her financially,”

he replied.

The judge then asked about the defendant Nakatani’s testimony that he could repay the debt using his event appearance fees, saying, “After deducting expenses, will you actually have that much (about 6.5 million yen) left?” To this,

“The events are huge,”

he stated emphatically. The prosecution sought a four-year prison sentence, arguing that “five victims were harmed in a short period of time, indicating a high degree of habitual behavior.” Although he repeatedly emphasized his track record in event work, this only served to highlight the futility and irresponsibility of clinging to his past.

The verdict will be handed down on October 20.